1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for increasing the efficiency of fractional distillation trays. The invention more specifically relates to a process and apparatus providing a higher efficiency multiple downcomer fractionation tray.
2. Related Art
Multiple downcomer fractionation trays were introduced by U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,540 issued to W. Bruckert. This reference describes the characteristic structure and arrangement of the components of a multiple downcomer tray. These include long, narrow, trough-like downcomers spread across the tray with long rectangular areas of tray decking separating the downcomers. The traditional rectangular shape of the downcomers and transverse arrangement of downcomers on vertically adjacent trays is also shown.
Multiple downcomer trays are noted for their high capacity. They were therefore included in an article entitled xe2x80x9cHigh-Capacity Distillationxe2x80x9d published at page 53 of the August 1998 edition of Hydrocarbon Processing and in an article starting at page 23 of the January 1999 edition of Chemical Engineering Process. These articles show the transverse arrangement of the downcomers on vertically adjacent trays and describe the flow of vapor and liquid through fractionation columns employing these trays.
Liquid which falls from the bottom of a downcomer of a multiple downcomer tray falls onto the active vapor-liquid contacting area of the next lower tray. It has been recognized in the art that the liquid falling on the decking could penetrate the decking, thus bypassing the intended vapor-liquid contacting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,875 introduced the use of antipenetration pans suspended between the decking and the downcomer to reconcile this problem. The antipenetration pans are located under the liquid outlets of the upper tray""s downcomer and oriented perpendicular to the downcomers of the lower tray. Liquid exiting the downcomers falls upon the pans and then flows onto the decking of the lower tray.
The invention is a novel apparatus designed to increase the efficiency of fractionation columns which contain multiple downcomer fractionation trays. The apparatus comprises a liquid distribution pan suspended between vertically adjacent trays which are mounted transverse to each other. The distribution pan collects liquid emanating from the downcomer of the upper tray and then discharges it in a desired pattern across the active decking area of the next lower tray. This causes the liquid to fall upon the lower tray at a set uniform distance from the inlet to the downcomer of the lower tray. All of the liquid then has a uniform residence time upon the tray, thus increasing the separation efficiency of the tray.